Conduit and circuit-grounding fitting



0a. 29, 1929. w. H. VIBB ER 1,733,475

CONDUIT AND CIRCUIT GROUNDING FITTING Filed Oct. 15, 1927 Patented a.29, 1929 PATENT? OFFICE,

WHEELERH. VIBBER, OF NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT CONDUIT ANDCIRCUIT-GROUNDING FITTING Application filed October 13, 1927. Serial No.225,903.

My invention relates to an improved conduit and circuit-groundingfitting designed with particular reference to grounding conduitsystens'to water-pipes, though not so limited; the object'being to produce ata low cost for manufacture a simple, convenientlyinstalled, durable andreliable fitting contructed with particular reference to permitting theconduit-pipe to stand at other than a right angle to the grounded-pipeand to provide etlicient means for attaching the cirwit-groundingv wireto the grounded-pipe.

, With these ends in view,my invent1on consists in a conduit andcircuit-grounding fit- 1 ting of the character described, having certaindetails of construction as will be hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fi 1 is a broken view in side elevation showing one form which myimproved conduit and circuit-grounding fitting may assume;

Fig. 2 is a. view thereof inLright-hand end elevation;

Fig. 3 is a view thereof partly in central longitudinal section andpartly in side elevation;

Fig. 4 is a view thereof in transverse section on the line 4-4 of Fig.1;

Fig. 5 is a detached perspective top view of the flexible bonding-plate;

Fig. 6 is a broken view in side elevation of a modified form of myimprovement;

Fig. 7 is a corresponding view of another modified form thereof; and

. Fig. 8 is a view in transverse section on the line 88 of Fig. 7.

In carrying out my invention, as shown in Figs. 1 to 5'inclusive of thedrawings, I employ a flexible bonding-plate formed between its ends 10and 11 with a bend or offset 12 which provides for offsetting theconduitpipe 13 from the grounded-pipe 14, such as a water-pipe. wherebya clearance-space 15 is established between the inner end of the formerand the exterior surface of the latter, the said bonding-plate beingarranged alongside of the grounded-pipe and substantially paralleltherewith. The end of the conduit 13 is capped by a standard stampedbushing 16 located in the said space 15 and held in place by screws 17passing through the end 10 of the plate, but said bushing might beriveted in place, if preferred. The said bushing 16 provides a smoothoutlet from the conduitpipe of they stranded grounding-wire 18, whichmay or may not be insulated as at 19, which in the construction nowbeing described passes-through a clearance-hole 20 in the bend or offset12 in the bonding-plate.

For solidly securing the bonding-plate to the grounded-pipe 14, its end11 is formed, as shown, with a shallow central longitudinal groove 21(Fig. 2), which receives a portion of the surface of the said pipe,though this groove 20 is not essential. Preferably, also, the edges ofthe end 11 of the plate are symmetrically bent downward as at 22, asalso clearly shown in Fig. 2. One edge of the said end 11 of the plateis provided with two open slots 23, while the opposite edge is providedwith correspondingly-located holes 24. these slots and holes receivingthe threaded boltlike ends 25 of two straps 26 and 27 which embrace thegrounded-pipe 14 and which are drawn solidly thereupon by nuts 28applied to the bolt-like ends 25 of the said straps, the slots 23facilitating the installation of the straps uponthe pipe 14. The straps26 and 27 are bent to fit the grounded-pipe, and are made long enough toadapt them to be fitted to different sizes of pipe, whichmay varyconsiderably in size.

As shown, the stranded wire18, after passing through the clearance-hole20, is clamped between the outer face of the inner portion of the end 11of the bonding-plate, and a trans- 0 versely-arranged combinedcouplingand contact-plate 29 clamped against it by the nuts 28 of thestrap 26, whereby the stranded groundingwire 18 is firmly gripped inplace. The stranded wire 18 is then, as shown, passed through aclearance-hole30 in the end 11 of the bonding-plate and gripped betweenthe exterior surface of the grounded-pipe 14 and the bottom of thelongitudinal groove 21in the plate, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, the nuts28 of the strap 27 being turned to grip the stranded wire at this point.

Inasmuch as the bonding-plate is flexible.

it ma be bent as required to accommodate the position of the conduit 13,in case the same does not, in any given installation, naturally stand ata right angle to the grounded-pipe 14. This feature of my improvedconduit and circuit-grounding fitting is of great convenience in manysituations, as it not only saves material, but often a great amount oftime and labor.

In the modified construction shown by Fig. 6, the bonding-plate is bentor returned upon itself to form a bend or offset 31, whereby a space 15is produced to separate the end of the conduit 13 from the grounded-pipe14, alongside of which the main part of the plate is arranged, as in theconstruction shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive. In this construction, theplate is furnished with a clearance-opening 32 through which thestrandedgrounding-wire 18 passes in position to be gripped directlybetween the inner face of the end 11 ofthe plate and the esteriorsurface of the pipe 14 by the strap-bolts 26 and 27. If preferred,however, the stranded wire may be passed between the plate 29 and theouter face of the said end'of the bonding-plate. In this construction,also, the inner end of the bonding-plate is longitudinally grooved andbent, as best shown in Fig. 2.

In the modified construction shown by Figs. 7 and 8, the bonding-plateis formed with a bend or offset 12 between'its ends 10 and 11 and isfirmly secured to the groundedpipe 14 by means of a strap 33, the endsof which are secured together by a clampingv screw 34 passing through anut 35 confined in p'Ia'ceby-bending one end of the strap 33 uponltself, as at 36. In this construction, the edges of the end 11 of theplate are bent inwardly, as at 38. as shown in Fig. 8.

, I claim:

1. A conduit and circuit-grounding fittingone end to form an offsettherefrom, whereby a clearance space is formed between it and the saidpipe, means for securing the oppoenters the said space.

site end of the said plate to the groundedpipe in parallelism therewith,and means for anchoring to the offset end of the plate a conduit pipe,which enters the said space.

2. A flexible conduit and circuit-grounding fitting comprising arelatively narrow plate adapted to' be placed alongside a grounded-pipe,substantially parallel therewith, and shapedat one end to form an oil'-set therefrom, whereby a clearance space is formed between it and thesaid pipe, means for securing the opposite end of thesaid plate to thegrounded-pipe in parallelism therewith, and means for anchoring to theoffset end of the plate a conduit pipe, which 3. A conduit andcircuit-grounding fitting comprising a relatively narrow'plate adaptedto be placed alongside a grounded-pipe, substantially paralleltherewith, and shaped at one end to form an offset therefrom, whereby aclearance space is formed between it and the said pipe,-means forsecuring the opposite end of the said plate to the groundedpipe inparallelism therewith, and means for anchoring to the offset end of theplate a conduit pipe, which enters the said space, and the said platebeing formed with a clearance-opening for the passage of a groundingwirefrom the conduit-pipe into position to lie alongside the grounded-pipe.

4. A conduit and circuit-grounding fitting comprising a relativelynarrow plate adapted to be placed alongside a grounded pipe,substantially parallel therewith, and shaped at one end to form anoffset therefrom, whereby a clearance space is formed between it and thesaid pipe, means for securing the opposite end of the said plate to thegroundedpipe in parallelism therewith, means for anchoring to the offsetend of the plate a conduit pipe,which enters the said space, and abushing located in the said space and secured to the offset end of theplate in position to cap the inner end of the conduit-pipe.

5. A conduit and circuit-grounding fitting comprising a relativelynarrow plate adapted to be placed alongside a grounded-pipe, substantially parallel therewith, and shaped at one end to form an offsettherefrom, whereby a clearance space is formed between it and the saidpipe, means for securing the opposite end of thesaid plate to thegroundedpipe in parallelism therewith, means for anchoring to the offsetend of the plate a conduit pipe, which enters the said space, and theend of the plate applied to the groundedpipe, being longitudinallygrooved for the reception of the grounding-wire.

6. -A conduit and circuit-grounding fitting comprising a relativelynarrow plate adapted to be placed alongside a grounded-pipe,substantially parallel therewith, and shaped at one end to form anoffset therefrom, whereby a clearance space is formed between it and thesaid pipe, and the opposite end of the said plate having its oppositeedges adapted for the reception of the bolt-like ends of a strap passingover the grounded pipe for the attachment of the fitting thereto inparspecification.

' WHEELER H. VIBBER.

